Patents Examined by Steven A. Bratlie
  • Patent number: 6719517
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprising a frame, at least one processing module, and a substrate transport apparatus. The frame defines a first chamber with outer substrate transport openings for transporting substrates between the first chamber and an exterior of the frame. The processing module is connected to the exterior of the frame. The processing module communicates with the first chamber of the frame through at least one of the outer openings. The substrate transport apparatus is connected to the frame for transporting substrates between the first chamber and the processing module exterior to the frame. The frame has a second integral chamber formed therein. The second integral chamber communicates with the first chamber through an internal substrate transport opening of the frame. The second integral chamber of the frame has a selectable configuration from a number of predetermined configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Brooks Automation
    Inventors: David R. Beaulieu, Douglas R. Adams, Mitchell Drew, Peter Van Der Meulen
  • Patent number: 6712577
    Abstract: A semiconductor processing system for wafers or other semiconductor articles. The system uses an interface section at an end of the machine accessible from the clean room. A plurality of processing stations are arranged away from the clean room interface. A transfer subsystem removes wafers from supporting carriers, and positions both the wafers and carriers onto a carrousel which is used as an inventory storage. Wafers are shuttled between the inventory and processing stations by a robotic conveyor which is oriented to move toward and away from the interface end. The system processes the wafers without wafer carriers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Semitool, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Davis, Gary L. Curtis
  • Patent number: 6709220
    Abstract: An automatic refuse container latch that is adapted to receive one of the opposed, outwardly-extending portions of a trunnion for a refuse container in order to secure the refuse container to a refuse collection vehicle. The latch comprises a forward stop that is adapted to be secured to the refuse collection vehicle and which forms a part of a channel for slidingly receiving one of the outwardly extending portions of the trunnion. An elongated locking arm is provided that has first and second ends with a pivot connection intermediate the first and second ends. The pivot connection is slidingly secured to an elongated track. A piston actuator is provided comprising a cylinder and a rod, with the rod being movable between a retracted and an extended position. A locking ear is provided for capturing the second end of the locking arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Inventors: Bruce D. Yakley, James C. White, Mark A. Wittak, Andrew P. Desotell
  • Patent number: 6709219
    Abstract: The present invention teaches a waste container, especially a roll-off waste container, having a gate at one end, a waste transfer system to push wastes within the container out the gate, and lifting devices which raise the container to approximately the level of a garbage truck's hopper. The hopper may be the fixed rear hopper of a rear-load truck or a special container for a front load truck. The present invention furthermore teaches a new system for waste handling. Wastes are placed into a container, the container is raised, and the wastes are transferred to a garbage truck. The present invention may be used industrially, in construction, in residential settings, and commercially. The invention may be opened at sides or tops to meet the user's waste disposal needs, and may be connected to a building by a trash chute as is commonly used in compactor applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Inventor: Thomas I. Reed, III
  • Patent number: 6709218
    Abstract: The present invention generally provides a robot blade which provides a plurality of semi-conductive or conductive contacts disposed at least partially on the surface of the blade to support a substrate above the blade. The contacts are preferably located inwardly from the edge of the blade and toward the center of the blade to provide a collection area on the blade to capture any particles which may form. The blade is preferably made of a semi-conductive material, such as alumina or other semi-conductive material, to provide an electrical flow path through the contact(s) to discharge any electrical charge which may build up on the substrate during processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Frederik W. Freerks, Tetsuya Ishikawa, Timothy Y. Wang, Jeffrey C. Hudgens, James R. Ciulik, Mohsen Salek, Tim Leong, Al DiFrancesco
  • Patent number: 6705817
    Abstract: A method for loading an aircraft (R) with shipping containers (3), the latter being passed on conveyor members (13) into the interior of the aircraft (R) and rotated there in a loading area (8), the position of the shipping container (3) in the loading area (8) is determined and the conveyor members (13) are operated via a control system in accordance with the determined position to rotate the shipping container (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Wittenstein GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Manfred Wittenstein, Ken Smith, Hans-Hermann Spohr
  • Patent number: 6705824
    Abstract: A wheelchair lift for supporting a wheelchair bound passenger and for moving the passenger between ground level and an opening in a vehicle. The wheelchair lift includes a platform and pivotal mechanism engaging the platform as well as a bridge plate for assuming a horizontal orientation to enable the passenger to proceed through the vehicle opening and a vertical orientation to act as a roll stop as the platform proceeds between the ground and the vehicle opening. The bridge plate includes a non-linear channel configured within its side which engages a pivotal mechanism which includes an upper parallelogram structure and hydraulic apparatus to move the upper parallelogram structure to move the platform. Also included is a lower parallelogram structure which is in sliding engagement with the upper parallelogram structure during at least a portion of the motion when the platform is moved between the ground and the vehicle opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Maxon Lift Corporation
    Inventors: Karapet Ablabutyan, Parkev Krmoian
  • Patent number: 6702540
    Abstract: A compact disc manufacturing machine carrying out a plurality of manufacturing stages including a vacuum stage. A central manipulator has a plurality of radially and outwardly extending manipulator arms which move the discs successively into program-determined working locations necessary for carrying out successively the manufacturing process. The vacuum chamber houses a multi-arm inner manipulator. The disk is moved to and from the vacuum chamber through a vacuum sluice having upper, intermediate and lower parts. The lower part is mounted on an outer end of an arm of the internal manipulator, and the upper part is affixed to an outer end of one of the arms of the central manipulator. When a disk is to be introduced into the vacuum chamber, the arm of the central manipulator delivers the disk into the intermediate part, and the upper part is positioned by the arm over the intermediate part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: M2 Engineering AB
    Inventor: Stefan Olin
  • Patent number: 6698991
    Abstract: A fabrication system is provided which includes a storage apparatus coupled perpendicularly to a branch transport aisle, and one or more environmentally controlled fabrication tools coupled parallel to the branch transport aisle. The fabrication tools can encompass single chamber units or larger cluster tools with sub mainframes. The storage apparatus has one or more load ports which allow transfer of wafer carriers to or from a factory transport agent. A tool loading platform is positioned to receive a wafer carrier from the storage apparatus and to enable the fabrication tool to access a wafer carrier positioned thereon. A plurality of fabrication tools may be coupled beside each other within the equipment set. Each of the plurality of fabrication tools is coupled to the storage apparatus so that a wafer or wafer carrier may be received from or transferred to a factory transport agent and may travel along the storage apparatus to any of the plurality of fabrication tools coupled thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Z. Bachrach, John C. Moran
  • Patent number: 6698993
    Abstract: A transporter is adapted to tip by using bilateral rams on opposite sides of a main compartment in the form of an open topped bin. The main bin is V-shaped in profile and when the trailer is tipped a conveyor underneath the bin raises an ingredient flowing from the bin. The bin is divided by flow-promoting dividers which are asymmetric in profile, each divider has a front face defined by an included angle “A” of about 34° and a rear face defined by an included angle “B” of about 75°, measured from the horizontal when the bin is in a horizontal transport position. Faces of adjacent dividers converge to a flow through passage that an ingredient flows along the V-sides of the bin and the faces directly through the flow through passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Inventor: Anthony Leon Stephens
  • Patent number: 6695567
    Abstract: A hydraulic device for industrial vehicles. A first motor drives a first hydraulic pump and a second hydraulic pump. The first hydraulic pump supplies hydraulic fluid to a power steering device and a brake device. The second hydraulic pump supplies hydraulic fluid to a carriage device. If an increased amount of hydraulic fluid need be supplied to the carriage device, a second motor drives a third hydraulic pump. Thus, together with the second hydraulic pump, the third hydraulic pump supplies hydraulic fluid to the carriage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Hisao Nagata, Seiji Nakashima
  • Patent number: 6695561
    Abstract: A dock or railway has a length of parallel track-driveway spaced along side for rail mounted tractor-trailers or truck-bus chassis-cab to guide on and travel to transfer cargo or people containers between the dock or cars in a train stopped for these transfers. The truck bed, chassis, or dock has one or more parallel oblique channels extensible or with roller bars extensible obliquely from a side to engage transfer rollers added on the container or oblique channels in the bottom of the container to move the container between the truck bed and the dock or car according to the direction the truck is driven or moved along parallel past the dock or car or the container is extended to initiate transfer. Various actuators can initiate and complete the transfer between the truck and standing train car or dock. Passenger and freight containers are interchangeable on the same bus-truck chassis and railway car container berth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Inventor: Leonard D. Barry
  • Patent number: 6695562
    Abstract: Two receptacles open at the top (15, 16), one of which contains objects (17) are put onto a rotating tray (3) under a convex cover (5). They are held in place by an appropriate device (11, 12). The tray and the cover are rotated by one complete turn such that the objects (17) come out of the first receptacle (15), roll under the cover (5) and finally drop into the other receptacle (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale des Matieres Nucleaires
    Inventors: Jacques Heyraud, Denis Gremeaux, Daniel Brulard, Jean-Jacques Margueron, Serge Chabrol
  • Patent number: 6695098
    Abstract: A termination for an elevator tension member is provided that terminates a load with frictional forces created by wrapping the tension member about a body and with compressional forces generated by the weight of the load compressing the tension member upon itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Randy G. Henley, Mark F. Orelup
  • Patent number: 6692209
    Abstract: A system (10) for manufacturing a photocathode includes a housing (12) having a first end and a second end. The first end of the housing (12) is operable to be coupled to a vacuum chamber (22). The system (10) also includes a drive support (20) disposed within the housing (12). The system (10) includes a shaft (14) disposed within the housing (12) and a ladder (16) coupled to the shaft (14). The ladder (16) includes at least one rung (140) to retain the photocathode. The system (10) further includes a drive system (18) supported by the drive support (20) within the housing (12). The drive system (18) is coupled to the shaft (14) and is operable to translate the shaft (14) relative to the housing (12) to position the rung (140) of the ladder (16) at a predetermined location within the vacuum chamber (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Litton Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: James D. Pruet, David G. Couch
  • Patent number: 6688834
    Abstract: A self-contained hydraulic power unit is described for powering a hydraulic actuator such as a hydraulic cylinder or a hydraulic motor positioned on a grain trailer or the like. A battery operated hydraulic pump pressurizes a hydraulic accumulator so that when needed, hydraulic fluid can be supplied from the pressurized hydraulic accumulator to a valve which in turn is connected to a hydraulic actuator or actuators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Inventor: Vinc L. Aulick
  • Patent number: 6682289
    Abstract: A vending machine for vending articles, most notably beverage or food containers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a vending machine having a cabinet with a plurality of vertically spaced shelves, and an “X-Y” picker assembly for receiving a packaged beverage from a shelf and for delivering the packaged beverage to a delivery port in a front face of the cabinet, or to another location as desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
    Inventor: William S. Credle, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6682294
    Abstract: A lightweight loading ramp deck and a method for forming such deck is provided. This loading ramp deck is capable of being used in a retractable loading ramp in the loading and unloading of intermodal cars. The loading ramp deck comprises a plurality of tubular members. Each of these tubular members comprises a first end, a second end, a top wall, a bottom wall, and longitudinal side walls. The top, bottom and side walls extend between the first and second ends. The tubular members are positioned such that the side walls are adjacently disposed with respect to each other and joined to form a loading deck which is inexpensive, lightweight, exceptionally strong and has excellent shear flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: John B. Carroll
  • Patent number: 6676362
    Abstract: A vehicle trash compactor for keeping the passenger compartment neat and clean by allowing the user to comfortably compact the trash in the vehicle. The vehicle trash compactor includes a container assembly including a container having top, bottom, back, and side walls, and also an open front; and also includes a drawer assembly including a drawer being removably disposed in the container through the open front thereof, and having bottom, side, and front walls, and also having an angled rim for holding a trash bag; and further includes an assembly of compacting trash in the drawer including a motor being attached in the container, and also including a compacting member being movable in and out of the drawer for compacting trash in the drawer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Inventor: Paul M. Pickering
  • Patent number: 6672819
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus is composed of a cassette block and a vacuum processing block. The cassette block has a cassette table for mounting a plurality of cassettes containing a sample and an atmospheric transfer means. The vacuum processing block has a plurality of processing chambers for performing vacuum processing to the sample and a vacuum transfer means for transferring the sample. Both of the plan views of the cassette block and the vacuum processing block are nearly rectangular, and the width of the cassette block is designed larger than the width of the vacuum processing block, and the plan view of the vacuum processing apparatus is formed in an L-shape or a T-shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Soraoka, Ken Yoshioka, Yoshinao Kawasaki